The mechanistic view offers no understanding of the meaning of life. Attempts have been made to develop a sense of mechanistic ethics. All have failed. Why should germs be moral? If I am a cosmic accident, why should I “give a tinker’s dam” about you? Why prefer life over death? What is so special about... Continue Reading

God has chosen to reveal himself to human beings by Word and Spirit. He has called us to share his self-revelation in his Word with others, without putting a minimum age limit on our audience. In his wonderful grace, God sends his Holy Spirit to give enough understanding to draw his people to repentance and... Continue Reading

The birth of Moses is not merely biographical. Rather, it declares God’s agenda of deliverance and sets a precedent for how He raises up those who will deliver His people. The birth of Moses designates him as a deliverer, aligns his deliverance with that of his people, and puts him in a line of deliverers,... Continue Reading

Each of these scenes will erode confidence in Jesus if they linger with no response. Though the descent into unbelief might be less perceptible in scenes 1 and 2, each scene becomes bound to questions such as, “Is he good?” and “Does he care?” These reveal that spiritual warfare has begun in earnest.   Scene... Continue Reading

Dear friend, are you already saved? Then keep not back from union with the Lord’s people. Neglect not the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. You may be of a timid disposition, but you must strive against it, lest it lead you into disobedience. There is a sweet promise made to those who confess... Continue Reading

In particular, “Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken” models for us how a mature Christian anticipates and appropriates suffering in this age. The hymn takes us on a journey from Jesus’s initial call, to the hard yet joyful road of the Christian life, to a taste of the blissful repose awaiting us just over the... Continue Reading

Corporate lament prayers model how to process a tragedy or something disturbing on the news. These prayers teach our people to watch the news not just for information but for intercession, to move from asking “what’s happening?” to “how can I pray?” Lament models a heart of concern. Lament teaches people how to pray.   Some... Continue Reading

Christian, the Lord knows you are not an asset to the organization. He knows what a tangled-up knot of anxiety, incompetence, and faithlessness you are. He knows exactly what a big fat sinner you are. He knew exactly what he was getting into. Eyes wide open, and arms too, he comes to embrace you. He’s... Continue Reading

The Resurrection involves justification in both senses of the Greek term. First, the Resurrection justifies Christ Himself. Of course, He is not justified in the sense of having His sins remitted, because He had no sins, or in the sense of being declared righteous while still a sinner, or in the Latin sense of being... Continue Reading

What our parents tell us could be wrong.  But, this is missing the point. The issue is whether it is reasonable to believe those we trust (and have good reasons to trust) when they tell us certain things are true.  And Timothy had good grounds for trusting his mother and grandmother. The only alternative is to doubt... Continue Reading